Shadows of Stars
by fairtradecocoabeans
Summary: There were long forgotten stories of the Sapphires that have the power to destroy entire nations, to corrupt a person and feed off their conscience. Annabeth carries one of them in her pocket. She believes that Percy is dead and her children are lost in a land far away, but the end is far from over...will she remember her love over the lust for power? Sequel to Dark Oceans.
1. Prologue

**AN: **I'm back! This is the sequel to 'Dark Oceans' so it will probably make no sense whatever if you haven't read that. but I am so excited about this book - and I promise that I won't make it a trilogy. Thank you for all the reviews from the last story - they really encouraged me to write faster and literally made my day. I'm so sorry if my update schedule will be dodgy because I've got a lot of stuff going on at the moment.

This is just the prologue, so the chapters may be longer.

See you soon!

~Cocoa.

* * *

**Prologue**

_Atlantian Dungeons._

The night sentry fell down to the ground with a clatter, his armour crashed down onto the floor and his eyes rolled back into his head. Annabeth smiled with satisfaction and swiftly unhooked the keys off his belt.

The elf mumbled something unintelligible in his unconsciousness and then fell completely silent, almost like he was dead. But Annabeth knew that he wasn't – it was only a swift punch in the head.

She opened the heavy metal door of the cell and held the burning torch in front of her, to light the way. Her footsteps echoed on the cold stone floor and a small light seeped through the iron bars at the top of the prison.

"Annabeth?" a voice whispered from the shadows.

There was a rattle of iron chains and a rustle on the cold stone floor. She ran up to her friend and knelt down by her side. Immediately she started unlocking the chains around her friends' ankles and wrists, although they left red blotchy marks on her skin.

"Wait – what are y – "

"Hush, we don't have much time."

Annabeth pulled her up and handed her the keys. "The two kings are going to send you away to the mermaid's lands – both of us know what is going to happen there – it's your punishment for trying to kill Triton, you see? You'll be going on the boat with the ten other elves that were chosen."

Thalia remained unfazed. "It's a reasonable punishment."

Annabeth carried on. "I'm taking your place – all I need is a lock of your hair to put in this potion which will turn my features into yours – "

"No!" Thalia burst out; her blue eyes were wide and horrified. "You are_ not_ sacrificing yourself for me, I forbid it. I'd rather go myself."

"Don't you see, Thalia?" Annabeth pleaded. "It's my only chance to find Lily and Sebbie; Castor won't let me out of the palace grounds – let alone the city. I'm not giving up on my children."

"You'll be eaten – there's no way that you'll find her. Let me go instead – "

"It's my only chance! I have to do this, please Thalia. Lily is somewhere near the mermaid coast. Even if it's one in a million, I'll risk it. I'd rather be eaten alive than stay trapped in this palace forever knowing that I could've done something."

"Let me find her then – I'm not letting you go into the mermaids lands alone," Thalia protested.

Annabeth shook her head urgently. "Look, we don't have much time. Even if you did find her, you wouldn't be able to bring her back. I know that I'll probably die there but as long as I find my daughter I will know it's worth it. Go and run away to the mountains – take Luke with you – "

"Luke?" she said in a small voice.

"Yes, he'd be heartbroken if you left him. Just give me a lock of your hair and go."

"What if...what if I'll never see you again?"

Annabeth smiled sadly and looked deeply into Thalia's eyes.

"I'll never forget you – we're best friends remember? We'll always be in each other's hearts – who knows? One day we might find each other again."

Thalia tried to smile but it came out as a grimace. Instead, she hung her head and chopped off a piece of her spiky black hair and gave it to Annabeth.

"I'll miss you, Annie," she whispered, giving her best friend a hug.

"I'll miss you as well."

She took the lid off the bottle and stuffed the hair inside. After shaking it a few times, she took the cap off again and drunk the vile liquid in one. Afterwards, she handed Thalia another bottle of potion that had a murky grey liquid inside.

"This will temporally change your features and body into mine, although I suggest you wear the hood of the cloak just in case – people might find it strange to see the princess walking around at midnight."

Thalia drank the potion quickly and grimaced, with her nose scrunching up in repulsion. "Ugh, that tastes disgusting..."

"Sorry, but at least no one will suspect you. The effects of the potion will wear off in about a week, that's loads of time to escape from Atlantia."

"Annabeth...I'm still not sure about this. You could be killed out there."

"I know, but it's the best option for both of us," she took a deep breath and tried hard not to think of the mermaid's fangs and claws and the way they could wield magic ten times stronger than elves. "We need to swap clothes, or the guards might suspect something."

Thalia didn't complain, and obediently passed her leggings and top over to Annabeth and then pulled on the simple dress and cloak.

"You sure you want to do this?"

Annabeth nodded determinedly. "Castor once told me to follow my heart – I know that this is my destiny, no matter what happens."

"Nothing will change your mind, will it?"

"No."

Thalia sighed and brushed a hand through her hair. "Then all I can say to you is: stay safe, I can't lose my best friend."

"I'll be back, Thals. This isn't a farewell, I'm sure we'll meet again."

Annabeth waved as Thalia picked up the burning torch and made her way out of the dungeon. The heavy door shut, leaving her in darkness.

* * *

Sally sat on the side of the river bank, with her knees pulled up to her chest and her eyes looking up at the sky. The land she now lived in was inhabited by giants, monsters and tropical storms that raged constantly and battered at her newly built palace.

Although, today the rain had stopped. However bitter winds still rushed through the hills and valleys, whipping her hair around her face.

A faint sound was brought to her attention...like the crying of a newly born infant. Except it didn't make any sense. There were no other humans living on this island and the elves were banned from it – unless they were the tributes that came every month to be hunted down for fun and then eaten.

She stood up in curiosity and peered into the dark waters of the stream. Amongst the blur of colours, a charred piece of drift wood was being swept down the river. Her brows tilted in worry as she saw something clinging onto it...swaddled in dirty white blankets that were soaked in sea water.

A baby? It wasn't possible. What was a baby doing all the way here? Cautiously she stepped in the strong currents of the river and swiftly caught the burnt and blackened raft. With trembling hands, she leant down and picked the small child up.

Sally pulled the blankets away from the child's head; she could feel her breath trapped inside of her. The child was beautiful...she'd give her that. Her features were smooth and well proportioned for her size, lacking the redness of a newborn or the scrunched up nose that most babies had.

But what hit her the most were her eyes. Only on two other people had she seen eyes like that on a person. Poseidon and Percy. And both were related, like father like son.

This couldn't be...

She stifled a gasp and felt anger rising up in her heart. Either Poseidon had sired another child or this tiny creation was her granddaughter. None of the options appealed to her...the mere thought was disgusting.

Hurriedly, she raced up the rocks and made her way up the hill to the palace. The mermaids outside the entrance stared at her inquisitively and then averted their gaze to the elf inside her arms.

She ran into the throne room and looked wildly around but no one was there. Pulling the double doors shut, she rushed up the winding staircase and headed towards Percy's chambers.

There was a beam of light shining from the gap in the door, without hesitation she burst inside and scowled heavily at her son.

He obviously had been laughing and sword fighting with Sebbie on the pristine white carpet, next to the fire place...

"Mother?"

Sally breathed inwardly and tried to focus. "Do you have any explanation for _this?_"

He frowned and got up from the floor, looking intently at the child in her arms. "No, I've never seen her before. Where did she come from?"

"That's exactly what I'm asking you."

She let the statement sink in, leaving the birds outside to fill the silence.

Realization dawned on him as he studied the infant's face. "Wait...you don't think...I didn't k-"

"You were the one who sired her, admit it Percy," she hissed. "It was with that _princess, _the same princess who betrayed us – she doesn't care for you, hell, she doesn't even care for her own child. I found the baby clinging to a raft on a river coming in from the ocean."

Percy's face paled as he took the child off his mother. "Annabeth would never abandon her...it's not her nature."

"Then explain why I found her daughter – your daughter – alone and defenceless all the way out here."

"Maybe there was an accident – Annabeth would never leave her own child in the ocean. There must be some explanation – "

"You need to get over her," Sally said more forcefully. "She's on your mind _constantly_, when will you understand that she hates y – "

"She doesn't hate me," Percy interrupted her. Anger flashed in his green eyes, sparks of energy crackled down his arms as his fury rose. "She told me herself and I'm not as stupid as you think I am – I know when a person is lying. We're only separated because of the actions of some selfish m – "

"I was protecting you!" Sally yelled back, her blinding green aura light up around her making Percy stumble backwards. "This is how it will be for the rest of eternity – mermaids will _never _have peace among the elves, that's how it always has been, that's how it always will be."

The green light dimmed down as she struggled to hold back her magic, which could end up with the whole palace being destroyed. Or maybe even the whole island with everyone on it.

"You can keep your child," she said quietly. "But only if you forget about Annabeth – prove to me that you can live without her. Then I'll let you keep the baby."

"I'll never forget her," Percy spat. "And you have no right to take _my _child away from me."

Her anger faded, only to be left with a cold chilling sorrow that gnawed at the forefront of her mind. "Look, the elves will be arriving in two days, it's the least you can do by joining in with the hunting."

"I am not going to hunt for some innocent elves that were taken by their will away from their families and friends. I'm not a child anymore and you can't tell me what to do in every single second of my life."

"Then you've just lost your mother," Sally whispered between clenched teeth. She pulled open the door of the chamber but was stopped by an equally quiet voice.

"You're no mother of mine; my mother was lost ten years ago."

* * *

"What is your business here?" the guards asked him suspiciously, looking him up and down.

"I wanted to see Thalia – the prisoner in these dungeons."

The elf snorted and didn't move. "Then you've made a wasted journey, nobody is allowed to see her."

Leo scowled and unsheathed his sword and stabbed it at the guard, the elf batted it away and smirked.

"Put it away and I'll forget that you ever did that."

"I need to see her," Leo said through gritted teeth. He raised his sword and slashed it towards the guard, the attack was blocked and the two elves battled furiously down the narrow corridor.

The clanging of metal pierced into the night and then suddenly stopped, the sound of panting only filled the air. Leo pressed a dagger to the guards' throat. "Open the door and then give me the keys."

"No," a trickle of sweat dripped down from his helmet.

Leo pressed the dagger deeper into his neck, making the guard tilt his head upwards to stop blood being drawn. "It's either that, or I knock you unconscious and then take the keys for myself."

"I'll never submit to filth like you," the guard hissed with murder in his eyes.

"So be it," Leo replied and swiftly ripped off his helmet and crashed the elf's head into the wall.

He slumped down to the ground and fell flat on his face. Leo leant down and unhooked the ring of keys off his belt and then unlocked the prison door, with the screeching sound of rusty hinges breaking the silence.

He blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness and then stepped into the dungeon. "Thalia?"

There was a figure sitting on the ground with chains shackled around her wrists and ankles, she had the same spiky black hair as he remembered and electric blue eyes that held no loss of fire.

Leo rushed up to her and was surprised to see her lean away...maybe she didn't remember him. "It's me, Leo."

Thalia raised a perfectly straight eyebrow and looked at him as if to say: 'Why the hell are you here?'

"Look, I'm sorry about what's happening," Leo started, sitting down next to her. "And I know that this is incredibly selfish of me..."

He paused, wondering how to put his words. "But do you remember Calypso? The mermaid that you brought back from the dead?"

"Um...yeah."

Leo took in a deep breath and pulled out a small sapphire coloured stone from his pocket. The jewel seemed to light up the entire dungeon with an eerie blue glow, the single touch of it sent a thrum of energy flowing down his arm.

"She fell in love with someone else and when the mermaids escaped from the dungeons and sailed over to another land – she went with them. She forgot about me. But you're going across the oceans...I just wondered if you could do this one last favour for me. It would mean the world to me if you did."

"You want me to give Calypso that Sapphire and say it's from you?"

Leo nodded dejectedly. "You're my last hope...tell her I love her. That's all. Tell her to keep the stone and remember me – just as I will remember her."

"Of course I will," Thalia said softly, taking the stone from his hands.

"And Thalia...I am truly sorry about all of this. You don't deserve to die, if only the King could see that."

"It's my fault, don't worry about it."

"We'll meet each other again. I'll see you in Starlight."


	2. A debt to be paid

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Rick Riordan.**

**Chapter 1**

_A debt to be paid_

* * *

She was awoken by the sound of the dungeon door screeching open and the familiar clanging of metal and footsteps that drew nearer with every thud. Her eyes fell upon two burly looking guards with chain mail hidden underneath their armour and steel helmets on their heads.

They dragged her roughly to her feet and unshackled her ankles and wrists, revealing the sore skin beneath.

"Don't make me drag yer all the way there," one said. "We've had enough trouble already."

Annabeth scowled and tried hard not to retaliate. Both soldiers heaved her up the iron steps and into the courtyard; she blinked away the blinding sun in her face and joined the rest of the chosen elves.

"Thalia!"

Every head turned around to see a fiery eyed elf running up towards the carriage.

"No! My daughter is not a criminal," he shouted to the soldiers, his expression was wild and desperate. "She is of my blood; you cannot take her to the mermaids' lands."

A soldier stepped forwards and unsheathed his sword. "Step back now; this is the order of the king."

The duke clenched his jaw and whipped a dagger from his belt and flung it towards the guard. It caught him in the shoulder, making the elf stumble back with anger in his eyes.

"You have defied your king," he hissed whilst pressing a hand to the wound. Blood soaked into his clothes and dripped onto the cobbled ground. "Guards, restrain him."

"This is madness!" the duke yelled as he struggled against the hold of two soldiers that dragged him back into the palace. "Thalia – "

A hand muffled his mouth and he was taken away inside, leaving a deadly silence in the courtyard. A cool breeze engulfed the square, bringing the smell of flowers and plants along with it.

Annabeth sighed and wondered if this would be the last time she stood in these palace grounds. Maybe or maybe not. Nevertheless, she would miss this place – it was still stunningly beautiful architecture and the warming feel of citizenship in the lower citadel.

"Get in," a guard grunted, shoving her inside a carriage. "We're travelling to the coast – don't bother to ask to stop."

He shoved her inside, onto a hard wooden bench.

"Wait," she called, just before he shut the door. "Don't you have a family? Don't you have children of your own?"

The guard hesitated and nodded stiffly. "Though it's none of your business."

"I know," Annabeth said softly. "But maybe you can relate to the pain of watching you children being sentenced to death. Maybe you would have empathy for the duke. Wouldn't you feel the same way if your child were whisked away to be tortured, eaten and killed in a far away land?"

He didn't reply but merely lowered his gaze and slammed the door of the carriage shut, hiding all the gawking faces in the courtyard.

She leant back into the seat and stared emotionlessly into the dimly lit room. Everything was going according to plan, she could only hope that Thalia and Luke had made it safely out of Atlantia and headed towards the sanctuary in the mountains.

Her gaze suddenly fell on a girl who was also sitting in the carriage with her; with her knees pulled up to her chest and her eyes focused streets outside the dirty little window. There were silent tears dripping off her chin and her lower lip trembled in either anger or terror. She wore a simple pale blue frock and her dark brown hair was plaited down her back, with strands falling out of it. There were tattered leather shoes on her feet that were already falling to pieces, as if they had been handed down for generations.

Annabeth felt pity for her, realising that the elf must be only ten or eleven. It was all the more reason to hate her brother. It wasn't right to include children in this matter of life and death...they were too young and innocent to deserve a death sentence.

But the sorting bowls were there for both adults and children. If a white stone was picked, the elf would be free to go. However, if a red stone was picked, the elf would immediately be sent to Pyrier, the mermaid's lands...she could only guess what would happen there.

"It's Marie, isn't it?" she said, remembering that the girl worked as a serving maid in the castle.

The girl looked up with puffy eyes. "Marie Evern. Aren't you the Duke's daughter? Thalia Grace?"

Annabeth considered lying, but she didn't have the heart to do it. "Can you keep a secret?" she held a finger to her lips and smiled wryly.

Marie creased her brow and sat up straighter with more interest. "Yes...I can keep secrets."

"Ok..." Annabeth quickly fiddled with a hidden necklace and pulled it out of her pocket. "You see this?"

"That's...That's the Royal Family's crest. How did you get that? Did you steal it?"

"No, I didn't steal it. The pendant belongs to me."

The girl frowned in confusion. "But you're the Duke's daughter..."

"Am I? Or do I just look like her?" Annabeth pressed on. "Believe when I say this...for it's pretty far fetched...but I swapped places with Thalia, we drank a potion that turned ourselves into each other. I'm Annabeth Chase, Princess of Athane."

Marie's eyes widened, but she didn't shy away like Annabeth expected. Instead, she stared at her with a mixture of awe and fear.

"You're actually the princess? You sacrificed yourself to save the Duke's daughter? I wish I had the courage to do that for someone..."

"Maybe one day you will," Annabeth replied warmly. "For I am not going to let anything happen to you in the mermaid's lands. I will try my best to get you back home and to your family."

"You would do that for me?"

Annabeth nodded. "I know that there is a high possibility that I will die there, but you've got your entire life ahead of you...I'm not going to let some feral creature end it."

Marie grinned and brushed back the tears in her eyes. "You're just like the bards describe, you know?"

"How do you mean?"

Marie grinned toothily; her bright blue eyes seemed to be thinking back on her memories. "When the Great War was going on, me and my aunt fled to the catacombs of Atlantia – along with many other women and children. The bards would come every so often to sing and liven up our spirits – they would tell new stories every week. We'd all sit around an open fire to keep warm and huddle up in blankets.

"Then one week, they came in and sung about you and recounted all of your adventures and said how you were kind and gentle towards other people. You were my role model...in fact you were nearly every child's role model. Human and Elf. And you still are."

There was a spark of warmth inside of her, stretching to every inch of her skin. Maybe...just maybe she hadn't failed in her life. Even with all the hatred and horror she had caused...people still respected her and looked up to her as if she were some sort of goddess.

_But what if they found out about all my wrong deeds?_

Betraying Percy. Numerous times.

Abandoning her first born child.

Leaving her second child in the mercy of the waves.

"But there was one story I didn't understand. Maybe the bards made it up...maybe you can tell me."

Annabeth frowned and met Marie's serious gaze. "What is it?"

"They said you fell in love with a monster. A half elf – half mermaid. But how is that possible? Aren't mermaids evil?"

Marie waited expectantly for her to answer, her blue eyes wide and curious.

And a ghost of a smile traced across Annabeth's lips.

"Not this one," she whispered quietly, without meeting her stare. "He was different."

* * *

Percy smoothly pulled out his deadly bladed sword, which sparkled in the sunlight that streamed in through the large windows of his chamber.

"En guarde."

Sebbie smirked and whipped out a long elegant dagger, with a simple brown leather hilt and metal that shone with equal brightness as his own.

Without hesitating, the younger elf sprung towards him, in a blur of forest colours and his blade a deadly arc of silver. Percy blocked it with ease and flicked his wrist, making his son's dagger clatter to the floor.

Percy raised an eyebrow and shook his head playfully. "Disappointing. What happened to all of your practicing?"

"You've had more experience," Sebbie protested, reaching down and picking his dagger up. "Anyway, I was trying not to wake my sister up."

He glanced over to the beautifully crafted four poster bed, where a child with long black hair was curled up amongst the blankets.

Percy sighed and sheathed his sword. "Yeah...ok, maybe we should be quieter."

The wind outside picked up and the rain started pounding on the battlements, clouds in the sky cast sinister shadows over the hills and valleys of the new land. Mermaids were scurrying towards the rivers to find shelter in the cool waters. He could tell that they were fed up with eating fish all the time...they wanted Elven blood to quench their thirst. If not, the mermaids would eventually break the peace treaty and swim back to Atlantia to find the elves for themselves. Or, the mermaids would just turn on each other in a hazy state of cannibalism.

Shutting the windows softly and pulling the curtains together, he lit the candles around the room and sat down at the small desk.

"Are you joining in with the hunting?"

Percy stiffened and his fingers clenched into fists on the table surface. The hunting was his mother's seemingly 'enjoyable' game. When the ten elves arrived on the coast, they would be taken high up on a hill and then given a five minutes head start...after the five minutes, every mermaid would hunt them down. As if they were mere animals.

It was a horrific thing to do to anybody. No one deserved that type of punishment – to be eaten alive whilst there is still breath in the body, to be torn apart and watch their severed limbs disappear one by one.

"Do I really have to answer that one?" he said in a low voice.

Sebbie nodded once and hung his head with embarrassment. "Grandma will be angry. She really wanted you to join in – she told me that it would do you good and bring out your true mermaid side."

His fingers tapped on the edge of the table and a familiar feeling of frustration and despair rose up in his heart.

"When is she going to realise that I'm not like her? I have no desire to kill any elf – I could barely kill anyone in the Great War. I regret hurting every elf I've inflicted. It's the least I can do – to push back my Mer side and forget about it."

"Don't you long for the ocean? To have the freedom to swim anywhere? To go anywhere, to see every treasure under the sea. What's bad about that?"

"Nothing is bad about that. And I still have to regularly visit the ocean because I cannot survive without it for long. But land will always be my home. Everything I love comes from the land – I know nothing of the ocean apart from the loneliness that is hidden there."

Sebbie nodded in agreement and picked up one of his books off the floor.

A comfortable silence settled between them as they listened to the pattering rain outside and the heavy gales of wind that swept along the moors.

His mind drifted to Annabeth and felt a smile return to his lips as he stared into nothingness. He wondered what she was doing now or where she was.

_She's engaged to Triton. _

But that didn't mean she loved Triton. Arranged marriages were common and people rarely married for love alone.

Maybe she would have a massive luscious wedding, full of colourful masquerades and balls, with dancing in beautiful ball gowns. There would be grand chandeliers decorating the high arched ceiling above and lively music playing from the orchestra. Flowers hanging in baskets and confetti thrown over the happy couple as they paraded through the streets for all the citizens to see.

Percy knew that he wouldn't be able to give her that sort of wedding. Maybe a simple ordinary wedding, with only close friends and family. A sweet bouquet of flowers and a plain little chapel in the countryside. They'd marry purely out of love with no complications and no extravagant parties. It would be perfect in their own way.

There was a sudden tug on his trouser leg, bringing him out of his thoughts.

A little rosy cheeked face grinned up at him with a wide smile, displaying healthy pink gums.

"Dada," she gurgled and continued to pull at the bottom of his trouser leg.

He grinned and gently picked her up and held her in his arms carefully. Annabeth's features were somehow reflected in the child's face, and the thought made his heart clench.

"Lily," the child stated suddenly, reaching up and tugging on a strand of his hair.

Sebbie put his book down and stepped forwards with curiosity. "Do you think...?"

Percy hesitated and softly pried her grip away from his hair.

"Lily. It's Lily," she repeated forcefully, her eyebrows tilting together in frustration.

"Damn, after all this time of trying to figure out her name – she knew it all along," Sebbie grinned. "I'm hungry, what about anyone else? Who's up for some giant slaying?"

"We can't just leave Lily here, on her own."

Sebbie thought about it and nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We should take her with us. Let's go."

Percy rolled his eyes and carefully handed Sebbie his daughter.

"We're not all going; you can stay and look after Lily_. I'll_ go giant slaying today."

"Ok, fine but let me go next time. Please, please, please, please?"

"Only if you don't get killed."

"I won't."

"Then that's settled."

* * *

The door of the carriage was suddenly flung open, revealing the plummeting snow that coated the rocks of the coast. A soldier scowled at them and beckoned them forwards.

"Get out, both of yer."

Annabeth scrunched her nose up in disgust and jumped down from the carriage step.

"Is that how you usually talk to fellow citizens?"

The soldier's scowl deepened, displaying his yellow tinted teeth, which were crooked and full of plaque.

"It's how I talk to filth and criminals like you. Now get a move on."

_Crack._

His head banged against the rocky ground and his eyes rolled into his head. Annabeth rubbed her slightly throbbing fist and felt her arms being locked behind her.

"An – Thalia!" Marie yelled; she struggled wildly against the guards with loose strands of hair whipping around her face. Her voice was eventually lost in the wind as Annabeth was shoved harshly onto the ship.

Annabeth grimaced and decided not to retaliate as she was pushed into a small cabin beneath the deck; the door was slammed shut and locked securely.

She could hear voices in the corridor and recognised Marie trying to pull away from the soldiers with a desperate urgency. There was another slam as a door shut next to her cabin, the heavy footsteps faded away leaving the sound of waves in her ears.

A gentle knocking came from the other side of the wooden wall and a hushed whisper rose over the noise of the sea.

"Annabeth?"

"I'm here – are you ok? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Marie hesitated.

"I'm fine; it's just my arm that is sore."

Annabeth bit her lip, trying to rein in her anger towards the stone hearted soldiers. What person would deliberately hurt a defenceless child?

Only those with a bottomless pit instead of a heart.

"I wish I could help you," she whispered. "Try not to move it too much."

"Thanks Annabeth," was the small quiet voice from behind the wall. "I'm glad I'm not alone. I don't know what I'd do without you."

* * *

_One week later. _

_9 pm._

The halls of the palace were dark and empty, his footsteps echoed loudly as he made his way to his chambers. Up winding staircase, through another corridor and the first room on the left. A stream of light could be seen underneath the gap in the door and hushed voices whispered inside.

At the end of the corridor, Percy could just about see a faint glowing light of a warm yellow. The colour seemed to flicker and constantly shimmer, lighting up a spherical shape in the darkness. He adjusted the sack over his right shoulder and made his way carefully towards the light, realising it was a tiny little candle...held by someone whose face was concealed by the night.

"Percy?"

He stopped walking and felt a shiver crawl its way down his spine. It had been a while since his mother had last spoken to him. They had both kept their distance from each other, ever since Lily had arrived in Pyrier, the land of the Mermaids.

The thought made a familiar feeling of sadness well up inside of him. It hurt to think that the relationship with his mother was crumbling to nothing, he still loved her but he wasn't sure if she loved him back. Her once adoring love for him had turned into wickedness and lust for power.

The candle illuminated her features in the hallway; her brown hair had grown longer and was left tumbling over her shoulders. She wore a beautiful flowing dress and her face was softer and gentler than he had seen in a long time. She looked sixteen, the same age that Percy looked. It was the same age that she had met Poseidon...the same age that he had fallen in love Annabeth.

Elves had the ability to appear any age they wanted. He wasn't surprised that his mother decided to stay sixteen. Her memories with Poseidon were from a sixteen year olds perspective.

But there was something about the way her blue eyes stared at him...something that told him she had changed. And that gave him hope.

"I'm sorry," was her soft whisper. The words were simple and plain but held much more depth and meaning behind it. "I'm sorry for everything."

Percy couldn't speak, there were no words to say. He knew that he should be angry and ignore her apology after all the pain she had caused him. But he could never be angry with his mother, for in his heart he knew that all he wanted was to have her back.

"This past week..." she took a breath and carried on, with her voice shaking slightly. "I've realised that I was wrong. I was wrong to start the Great War, I was wrong to hate Annabeth. She was following orders when she betrayed you...and I know how much she means to you – "

"Mother, it's fi – "

"It's not fine," she said quickly. "I got distracted by the power and the war. And after this past week of avoiding each other, I've realised the things that matter most in my life. I don't expect you'll forgive me...but I just wanted to tell you...that you're still my son and I love you dearly. More than anything in the world."

He could tell by her voice that she was telling the truth and the truth only. Slowly and cautiously, he hugged her gently and treasured the moment. His mother was finally back, not the cold hearted warrior with a thirst for elfish blood...it was the mother that had loved and cared for him back in Athane.

"I forgive you."

The sound of crying jolted them apart, the piercing shrill noise emanated from his chambers, breaking the night's silence.

Sally laughed and picked up her candle off the floor. "Your daughter is calling you, I'd better go."

"Your granddaughter needs you," he responded quickly. "Lily needs you."

He pushed open the door and was almost toppled over by a bear hug from his ten year old son.

"You're back! I thought the giants had caught you – Lily is crying because she thinks you're dead," Sebbie said with relief flooding into his features. "Grandma! Are you going to eat the giants with us?"

Sally looked at Percy and he nodded in encouragement.

"I'd love to."

Percy grinned, knowing full well that his mother hated eating Giants. They were apparently 'too stringy' for her taste.

Lily rushed up to them, her legs wobbled as if she were going to fall over. Though her eyes were wide with happiness, she stretched her arms up and laughed excitedly when Percy scooped her up into his arms.

"Dada, look! I drew a pickchure – that's you, that's Sebbie and Grandma," she held up a piece of paper with different coloured stickmen sketched heavily onto it.

But there were four people in the picture. A person was scribbled on yellow curls stood on the end.

His blood ran cold.

"Who's that?" he pointed to the fourth person. But he already knew.

Lily creased her eyebrows and struggled to think of a name for a moment. "Mama. She was on the ship. But the scary men took her away. They burned the ship...but I found some wood and s...survived."

There was silence.

Sebbie stared up at him with sad grey eyes and then lowered his head. His posture was stooped and the expression on his face was torn.

All of them could feel the missing gap in their lives. Even though they spent every day together, catching up on past stories and events...there was a hole in the family.

And it would never be a true family without her.

* * *

The midnight blue sky overhead told her that it was midnight; clouds concealed the stars, foreshadowing a brewing storm in the hours to come.

Her cabin door was swung open suddenly, letting in a cold rush of air. The soldiers stormed in and grabbed her by the arms and forced her up the steps of the boat and onto the deck.

She managed to look behind her and saw Marie being led up by two broad shouldered guards, her face was pale and her lower lip was trembling.

They joined the nine other elves that were chosen to be taken to Pyrier, all of them held to same gaunt faces and the haggard expressions with dark circles for eyes.

"You have all served your kingdom well and this is your duty as an elfish citizen to die for your country," the captain announced. "May you find peace in Starlight."

The guards surrounded them as the chosen walked off the ship. As soon as every elf stood on the rocky shore of the beach, there was an immediate skirmish at the front of the line. Shouting and protesting filled the night air, some of the elves tried to run back into the sea but they were tackled by the guards and brought back to land.

Crying. Screaming. Yelling. That was all Annabeth heard. She felt Marie press closely up to her and she took her hand gently and squeezed it warmly.

Her blue eyes were wide and terrified and her teeth chattered from the bitter gale around them. Like a snowdrop in a deserted forest, a bright star sailed overhead and burst into fragments of gold.

The light faded, leaving behind the gloomy black clouds.

A group of mermaids approached them, at the front stood a beautiful sixteen year old girl, with pale blue that looked as though they had seen a thousand generations. She lacked the bloodthirsty aura that the rest of the group emanated; instead her eyes were sorrowful and downcast to the ground.

Sally.

Percy's mother.

"I'll take them from here," she said to the captain, glancing at the bedraggled group of elves on the rocks.

"Y-yes, of course my lady," the captain bowed quickly and retreated back towards the ship, taking his soldiers with him.

The gang of mermaids surrounded them and pushed them forwards out of the beach. Marie's grip tightened in fright and apprehension on Annabeth's hand, her small youthful face was as pale as chalk, giving her the impression of the walking dead.

The group marched for what felt like hours, Annabeth shivered as the cool wind absorbed into her clothes, making goosebumps appear on her skin.

Viscous mud soaked into her tattered leather shoes and the rain started to splatter heavily down upon them. The skies seemed to grow continually darker, even though it was well past midnight. All around them the great clouds swept over the soaring mountains and caverns, casting deathly shadows onto the land.

Finally, they arrived at the top of a hill that stood overlooking the landscape of Pyrier. Maybe if she wasn't in so much danger, she would've taken note of the beauty of the place. Acres of evergreen trees; forests and winding rivers rushing between them. Hidden lakes and ponds, menacing caves and a large dazzling palace that stood tall between two mountains.

Annabeth blinked and returned to her senses, realising that the elves were completely surrounded by at least a thousand mermaids. They were littered all over the hill, glowing in a bright green aura, none of them moved or spoke but their eyes glinted with the same amount of malice and hunger.

The elves stood in a ragged line, with their heads bent and their eyes weary. Sally stood in front of them, with her eyes softer than Annabeth had ever seen before. It looked as though she were doing something against her will.

And for the first time, Annabeth felt pity for her.

"You have been brought here to take part in the Mermaid's hunt."

Marie buried her head into Annabeth's side; her body was unable to stop trembling.

Sally seemed to notice her and her expression wavered. "You will be given a five minutes head start before you will be hunted down and fed upon. Try to escape, but you'll be found easily. May the stars be on your side."

She picked up a small wooden sand timer and set it down on a crudely shaped rock. "Your time starts now."

The rest of the elves didn't hesitate to bolt down the hill as fast as they could, tripping over the rocks and loose stones as they went.

Marie looked up at Annabeth with tears in her eyes.

"Run," she murmured.

Annabeth didn't waste a second and grabbed her hand, before sprinting down the hill with all the energy she had left. The wind whipped harshly across her face but she ignored the pain and focused entirely on getting Marie safely out of here.

They tumbled over a stone wall at the bottom of the hill and immediately picked themselves up again, running off down the moors and fields with their hearts racing in exhaustion.

"I can't go on," Marie gasped, falling forwards onto her hands. "Go. Go on without me. I'll only hold you back."

"I said that I'd get you back home," was Annabeth's only reply.

She leaned down and picked her up gently and brushed back the wet tendrils of hair away from her face.

In a blur, she continued to race down towards the sea, her arms ached and burned from the exertion but she forced herself not to let go.

And somewhere in the distance, a conch shell rang through the wind and gale, signalling the start of the hunt.

The crashing waves of the sea could be seen sparkling in the distance, Annabeth's heart leapt at the sight and doubled her speed, clinging onto Marie with adrenaline rushing through her body.

_Faster. Faster. Faster._

Footsteps thudded behind her. The sea was drawing near.

Marie screamed and suddenly a burning flare of pain exploded in Annabeth's leg. She cried out as she desperately tried to tug on the arrow.

The wooden shaft pulled free but the head of the arrow remained buried inside her leg.

"Marie, go!" she yelled, trying to be heard over the roaring gale.

Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm not leaving you here to die. If you're going down, I'll go down with you."

"Please Marie. You've got the rest of your life to live – don't give it up for me," Annabeth begged. She could see a group of twenty mermaids sprinting towards them.

"I ca – "

"Go! I'll hold them off. Get to the sea and don't stop swimming. I'm dying anyway, I might as well go down in a fight."

Marie hesitated and glanced up at the group of mermaids.

"I'll repay you...I'll find a way to repay you."

"There's no debt to be paid," Annabeth said, trying to smile for her.

Marie shook her head. "For me there is."

And she turned on her heel and raced off towards the sea.

Annabeth watched her go, hanging on the hope that Marie would be able to escape. She felt a protective emotion for the young elf, just like she had felt protective and motherly towards her own children.

Fuelling her anger, she shakily stood up from the ground and unsheathed her long black hilted sword and prepared to fight.

Gathering her energy, she sent a blinding ray of light towards the group of mermaids, blasting them back into the mud.

Some deflected the magic and continued to charge towards her with their swords raised and arrows aimed towards her chest.

Annabeth smiled. For this time, she was fighting for a true cause. If she failed now, then she would've failed Marie. But she wasn't going to let that happen.

"Father, guide me," she muttered, hoping that he would be proud of her as he watched her from the stars.

And then she let her instincts take over and met the mermaids in battle, her blade clanged against the mermaid steel, screeching into the night. The pain in her leg was forgotten as she twisted and ducked amongst the blurs of green.

She quickly thrust her sword at a mermaid's neck, cutting the jugular vein at ease. Her body automatically spun around and blocked another attack, she sidestepped and blasted the mermaid back with a beam of energy.

But there were too many of them, they would soon over power her...

No, she mustn't give up.

"_Run."_

Her breath was caught in her throat.

"_Go to the palace."_

"Father?" she whispered.

But the voice was gone, although the exhilaration had yet to leave her.

She was sure that was her father's voice...

An outbreak of pain burst in her stomach, sending her falling the ground in pain. The sword was yanked out of her, making blood pour out of the open wound.

Tears of pain spilled down her cheeks, she could see stars in her eyes yet there were only clouds in the sky.

"_Don't give up, Annabeth, my darling."_

Five mermaids left...

"_Run!"_

With all the energy that she had left, Annabeth stumbled away, blinking back the torrents of rain in her eyes.

Fire rippled through her body, burning her from the inside out. Every movement felt like she were walking across white hot coal.

She could hear the mermaids footsteps behind her and their hissing and snarling that seemed to echo in her ears. Her hand pressed over her wound desperately to stop the blood, but it was no use.

There was a glittering palace in the distance, with high towers and turrets, surrounded by battlements.

Her breathing was becoming laboured and ragged, the climb up the hill to the palace was challenging but not impossible. She ran up to the grand double doors but they were locked and firmly shut, she turned around and stared with terror at the five ravenous mermaids in front of her.

"You're trapped," one of them hissed, displaying two rows of pristine white fangs. "You're little game is over."

She backed up against the white stone wall, her heart thumped loudly but she took reassurance in one thing. Marie would be far away from Pyrier. Annabeth had killed all the mermaids that were chasing them, except for the five that were now about to feast on her blood.

_Think, Annabeth, think..._

Just as the mermaids were about to pounce, with their talons five inches away from her neck, her hand gripped onto the stem of the ivy that grew up the castle wall.

Hope fluttered inside of her. She immediately hauled herself up, wincing and holding back a cry of pain as more blood dripped down onto the ground.

Her hands were frozen on the ivy, but with all the willpower she had left, she continued to climb up the side of the wall. The mermaids crawled up towards her, their claws were so close to reaching her...

Pulling herself up on a ledge, she awaited death to come. She could see the stars again...sparkling and shining in all of their radiance...she was close.

Close to being free.

A sudden claw wrapped around her ankle, drawing blood from the wounds. Annabeth's head spun, but she could hardly process the agony... the stars were becoming clearer and more defined...

Every sound was muffled, the wind seemed to have muted. Every rain drop still pounded against her skin but she couldn't hear a single clear noise.

Something suddenly gripped her arms tightly and she felt herself being pulled out of the storm and into a warm cosy room...

The stars were disappearing now...

Her vision momentarily returned to her as she looked up from the lush white carpet.

A familiar face...with beautiful green eyes and pure black hair.

"Percy?"

She felt a smile tug at her lips as her eyes shut and the pounding in her head slowly subsided.

Maybe she was dead after all.

* * *

**A/N: Hello! I'm back again and I am so excited to be writing this story, it's not going to be as long as Dark Oceans but I can't really say for definite. And...yay! The family is back together _but _it is so far from the end.**

**I am currently hitting my hands to stop giving any spoilers. *ouch***

**Thanks for all your amazing reviews! Everyone's so awesome! **

**So tell me if you like it or not and I will be seeing you next week (hopefully)**

**~Cocoa.**


	3. Underneath Stormy Skies

**A/N: Hi everyone! OH my gods I'm so sorry for the wait - and I have not abandoned it, but I am now back on track. 16 reviews fo 2 chapters! I'm soo happy thanks guys! **

**Sorry again for keeping you waiting, I will get this story finished (eventually) there's a LOT more to come. **

**See ya!**

**~Cocoa xx**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_Underneath Stormy Skies_

* * *

The tapping of footsteps outside the door brought her from her dreamless sleep. She blinked back the sunlight that streamed in through the windows and sat up slowly.

A rush of memories flooded back to her. Rain. Blood. Claws. Blood. Blood everywhere. Her hand immediately fell to her stomach...but the wound was gone.

She wore a long white dress, but she was confused as to where it had come from.

_I need to escape._

The thought came with no hesitation and she knew she should get out before the mermaids could find her. Maybe they healed her wound in preparation for some torture. She couldn't be sure, but she knew that she shouldn't trust them.

She got up and searched the spacious room for a weapon and found a jewel encrusted dagger lying on a table. Too easy. Maybe it was a trap. The large windows seemed to be unlocked – that would be her best method of escaping. Pulling the curtains open a little further, she stared down at the vertical drop beneath her and contemplated the fall.

The ivy on the walls might be some assistance – since she remembered climbing up it.

_What about Lily?_

This was the reason she was here in the first place and she knew that the plan was most likely going to fail. The whole land swarmed with mermaids – how could a mere infant survive alone with no help or shelter?

_I'm not leaving without you. I'm not. _

She shut her eyes and thought of the possibilities.

Her skin started to tingle suddenly. A shadow seemed to fall over her and the light behind her eyes darkened. A presence behind her. One. Two. Three –

As quick as a snake she spun around, eyes flashing, and jammed the dagger tightly to her attackers' neck before they could react. Her heart beat quickly, expecting a fight, but none came. Tilting her head upwards, she suddenly lost her grip on the hilt, sending the dagger crashing to the ground, narrowly avoiding her bare feet.

When was the last time she had seen green eyes like that?

The same green eyes that still haunt her – even though they lived in two opposite worlds. Life and Death. Middle Realm and Starlight. They say that the death of a loved one can cause hallucinations...but she never expected it to happen to her.

She blinked and felt her breath trapped inside her throat. She couldn't breathe...it was like seeing an oasis in a desert but then realising it wasn't there. _Get away. Block the image from your mind. He's dead. He's dead. You know that._

And then in a mad rush of panic, she fumbled with the window and tried desperately to open it, longing to get away from the hallucination that taunted and tempted her.

Strong arms wrapped around her body, holding her back, pulling her away from the window and a gentle voice kept trying to talk to her. _His voice._

"Get off me! Let me go!" she tried pulling away but the grip was too strong. "You're not real."

She could feel his arms around her, warm and firm. Just like she remembered. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. Her struggles grew weaker until she realised that this was pointless.

"Annabeth, wait. It's me," he whispered softly.

She spun around and glared at him. "You died. You're not actually here and I'm just talking to thin air."

He placed a hand under her chin, the skin felt smooth and...Real. Warm, as if blood still pumped through his veins. "Do I look dead to you?"

"No. But the mind is a powerful thing."

He ignored the comment. "Why do you think I died?"

"Castor told me..." she trailed off, realising that she no longer trusted her brother. He could've been –

"He lied. I never died – I escaped with my mother and the rest of the army."

She let the information sink in, as cold blood rushed to her head. "Oh gods..."

He was alive.

He was _here. _Standing in front of her.

All the pain she had been through...

Was for nothing?

He never died...

Staggering backwards, her back hit the glass of the window, leaving her trapped against it. "So all this time..." she took a shaky breath. "All this time I thought you were dead. But no. Here you are, playing happy families without a care in the world. Thanks. Thanks a lot."

"It's not like that – "

Fury rose up in her throat; every single emotion she had bottled up needed to escape. She hated him. No. Hate wasn't a strong enough word.

"You left without a single 'goodbye'. Did you even stop to realise to think about me? Or how I would feel when you left? I've been living these past months in _torture. _Do I not mean anything to you? Am I not worth enough? Go on. Say it."

He refused to match her anger, but instead gazed directly into her eyes with nothing but sincerity and love.

"You mean everything to me. How could you think otherwise? After everything we've been through – "

"Then why did you leave me?" she choked.

"I didn't know that Castor would lie to you. I – I thought that you would have a better life without me. You could marry Triton and bring your children up in the palace, you'd be safe and so will your children."

"I already have children. And if you think that safety is all I need..."

"Annabeth I'm sorry – I didn't mean for you to be in any pain. It's my fault...I know."

He studied the ground and backed away slowly. "I can understand if you hate me, I'll take you back to Atlantia – "

"No – don't take me back there," not in the land of forsaken hope, where the elves lived in constant fear for their own lives. "I'll leave you and I'll go and find Thalia and Luke in the mountains, it was _so _nice seeing you."

"You don't have to go," he said quietly with a hushed whisper in his voice. "I couldn't bear it if you left – these months have been torture enough without you. After all we've been through...you're willing to sacrifice it with one mistake?"

A sudden memory flashed before her eyes...

There was a lake covered in frozen lilies, a body lying in the rushes. The dagger in her hand smoothly slipped into the firm skin and hot red blood spilled onto her hands... a cry of anguish...

She had let Percy down many times before so why couldn't she just forgive him now?

_What about the pain? What about the months you spent crying yourself to sleep every night? What about the nightmares as you slept? What about the - _

No. She could never hate him. And now she realised that she would've gone through another thousand years of pain, just to spend another day with him at the end. And if this was a dream, she never wanted to wake up.

Taking a deep breath she found her voice once again. "Ok I'll stay. But promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"Marry me, show me that you truly love me."

A smile broke out on his face and the gentle glimmer in his eyes transformed into radiance. "Isn't the man supposed to propose?"

She rolled her eyes. "It would be unheard of in the Elfish Kingdom for the lesser in status to propose. So the duty falls to me."

He raised a mocking eyebrow.

"I'm joking," she laughed. "But I am serious about the marriage."

"Then my answer is 'yes'," he said.

The door suddenly burst open and three people stumbled into the room. All were smiling right up to their ears.

"Mama!" a black haired girl stumbled up towards her, her green eyes wild with happiness. "Mama!"

"Lily? Oh my gods, Lily!"

And the burden fell off her shoulders all in that moment, and truly, she had never felt happier. She picked up her daughter and gazed in disbelief at her. In all her dreams, she had never expected this.

"So what's this wedding you're planning?"

She stiffened at the sound of the voice, recognising it well. Sally. Percy's mother. The queen of mermaids herself, the one behind the hunt, the Great War and the deaths of so many elves.

"You were eavesdropping?" Percy accused, though his tone of voice was strangely light.

"Uh, might have been," another smile pulled her lips up. "But I can't believe my baby boy is getting married! Although, I always knew that this day would happen."

Something was different between mother and son. Like some wall between them had shifted and vanished. The love that radiated from between them was like a miracle. The past had been placed behind and forgiven...and that was how it should be.

"Welcome to the family Annabeth."

* * *

A simple band of gold adorned her finger, a sign of an eternal unity. Everything had happened so quickly, but that was ok. Her life was complete.

"You may kiss the bride."

Her heart skipped another beat and warmth engulfed her as their lips met, short and sweet. Percy pulled back and grinned at her.

Lily stumbled her way up to them and tugged on the edge of her dress. Annabeth picked her up and together, they left the shimmering orchard and raced up the hill, towards the palace.

The wind whipped around her face and her blond curls fell out of their braid, tumbling down her back in golden tangles. Sally followed them, laughing along, the past had already been forgotten and nothing could ruin this day for her.

There was a sudden hand on hers. Annabeth looked up and met a pair of sparkling green eyes, framed by long dark eyelashes.

"May I?"

She laughed and waved goodbye to her family, her other hand still interlaced.

"Where are we going?"

Percy smirked and put a finger to his lips. "It's a secret."

Annabeth rolled her eyes and followed him down a crooked dirt path that led between tall dark pine trees, in the distance she could hear a stream singing and the magical hush as a breeze rushed through the mountain tops.

"You and your mother seem really close all of a sudden," she whispered, not wanting to break the eerie serenity of the woodland.

"She's changed for the better," he replied. "We had an argument a while ago, but somehow she realised how wrong it felt and she apologised about...well, everything..."

"It was never her fault in the first place. It was mine and mine only," she brushed a hand through her hair. "I stabbed you...and if someone stabbed my child then I would seek revenge."

He stopped walking and turned around sharply, his green eyes were focused and full of determination.

"Annabeth listen to me, it wasn't your fault. I never told you who I really was; you were scared and full of anger. It was all one accident of fate, so don't blame this on yourself. It's the past and nothing can be done about it."

"The war ruined the lives of so many people..."

"But it wasn't your fault – neither of us knew what would happen."

She took a breath and knew in her heart that he was right. But she still couldn't forget the amount of times she had hurt him...betrayed him. And all that time, she had irrevocably loved him. _Follow you heart, _Castor had said. And that was how she ended up here, hand in hand with Percy, living with her two beautiful children, free from restrictions and hatred.

"I love you, you know?"

Percy smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "And I've always loved you and I never stopped."

"Even when I stabbed you? Even when I betrayed you? All those times I let you down?"

"It was all worth it, to be here with you now. I'd take all the pain gladly."

Sparks of energy washed over her, filling her with a warmth that she had always longed for. Her heart was healed; the pain of losing him was gone only to be replaced by love.

"Close your eyes," he said gently. "We're almost here."

"If I fall over..."

"You'll get very muddy," he finished with a smirk. "Don't worry, I won't let that happen. I like your dress too much."

She smiled and shut her eyes, so all she could see was the flickering light behind it. The trickling of the stream seemed to get louder as they went and the whistle of the wind wrapped around her body and sent a shiver crawl down her spine.

The sweet scent of lavender and honey smelling aromas, the smooth rocks underneath her feet and the splashing of water around her.

"Where are we?"

"Open your eyes and see," Percy responded softly.

Her eyelids rose and a gasp escaped from her lips. Shallow water shimmered beneath her feet and the long green leaves of weeping willows created a domed roof above her head, making the rays of sunlight stream in through the gaps. Swans and cygnets swam gently through the clear water, dozens of them, hundreds of them.

"It's beautiful," was all she could say. "How did you find it?"

"I was hunting giants – "

"Giants?"

"Yup, they're a real pain in the butt – oh, and they taste quite nice – "

Annabeth pulled her lip up in disgust. "That's just nasty."

Percy grinned cheekily. "Mer creatures prefer eating different things to elves. I mean, I still don't understand why you eat chickens or cows. Anyway, I was hunting for giants and I just happened to find this place."

"Do you come here a lot?"

"Every day, it somehow relaxes me and it's..." he trailed off, embarrassed.

_It's a way to escape the real world._

A bolt of lightning suddenly crashed through the sky and the clouds filled with grey. Rain poured down from the above the willow trees, making the pure water ripple around them.

Thundering booms pounded towards them, shaking the earth and making the swans fly up in panic. Percy's hand tightened on hers and he grinned, listening to the continuous thuds.

"Time to go!" he yelled over the rain and pulled her away from the willow trees, the water around their feet splashing up behind them.

She looked back for a moment and noticed a dark towering shape that seemed to be moving towards them.

"Percy – "

"Giants, I should've known!"

He didn't seem fazed by them at all, in fact he treated the whole thing like it was a massive joke and that being chased by giants was something he did on a regular basis.

"Oh my gods, oh my gods..."

Percy looked behind and narrowed his eyes at the herd of giants. "Don't worry – there's only five of them!"

"Five?" Annabeth gasped, her heart hammering loudly in her chest. "We could be killed!"

He laughed and shook his head, guiding her down the rocks towards a river bank. "Nah, Giant's are basically harmless – "

She turned around and took in their lethal appearances. Crudely shaped wooden clubs and eyes full of hatred and hunger, razor sharp teeth and fire balls in their palms. Harmless. Yeah, she really could believe that.

"Sorry if I get your dress wet!" Percy said, picking her up bridal style.

"Wait – what are you d – "

In a whiteout of bubbles, they submerged into a fast flowing river, crashing down to the bottom. Shoals of fish passed them and coral leaves and anemones grew from the riverbed. Metres above them, the surface rippled with the continuous droplets of rain.

"Percy what the hell?" she spluttered, trying to let her lungs adjust to the water.

"They won't find us here," he said, grinning at her as if everything was alright.

She looked at him and wondered vaguely when he had taken off his shirt and...

_Oh my gods._

A sleek tail moulded from his hips and fanned out perfectly, like a seals.

It was a reminder of the two separate world's they live in, the reason that they were never supposed to be together. Two opposite species entirely.

"See something you like?"

She couldn't think of anything to say, her voice was unwilling to make a sound. His face fell slightly as she pulled her eyes away from the tail.

His hand stretched out tentatively to cup her chin; she could feel the soft supple skin and the energy that thrummed against it. There were no words to be said, or no words that needed to be said.

The water created a cushion, enclosing them in a feathery embrace, as if they were floating in air. His lips captured hers, warm and gentle, pouring all of his heart into the touch.

She responded and tangled her fingers into his long messy hair, relaxing against his body and putting aside all her fears and faults, relishing the moment.

* * *

Sebbie stared out onto the hills and smiled, watching his parents running towards the palace laughing like children. All the resentfulness and hatred had disappeared and now he had a life in which he only dreamed of. Parents who loved him and each other, a land full of adventure and exploration with danger lurking in the shadows.

But the only thing missing was Thalassa.

His friend that had looked after him, the girl that he had spent most of his life with. He missed her more than he could say in words. But she was gone...and he didn't know where. She was probably engaging with her old life, living in a grand mansion and feasting with all the rich noblemen of Atlantia and Athane. She would be fine without him. A new name. A new title. A new life.

He may be younger than her...but that didn't stop him from...from...

_Don't think like that because she'll never ever return your feelings._

Now that she wasn't here, he could really appreciate her personality. The way her eyes would sparkle when she laughed or her dry sense of humour, her teasing way she spoke and the slight accent in her voice, as if she were from a native country.

_Does she feel the same way? No, of course she doesn't. She loves that other elf – that tall handsome blond elf that you saw. There's no hope for you now._

Sighing, he picked up his bow and strapped a quiver to his back. The storm outside usually attracted a lot of giants to roam across the countryside and slaughter all the peaceful animals.

"I want to hunt," Lily demanded, toddling up to him with flashing green eyes.

He bent down and stroked back a black curl. "Sorry, Lily. Maybe when you're older."

"I want to go _now_," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Pleeeeease?"

"It's too dangerous – I don't want you to get hurt. Why don't you go and see your grandma? She might want some company now."

Lily shook her head and picked up a dagger from the rack. "Grandma is talking to Caly, anyway they're so boring. Adults are no fun – apart from Dada."

Yeah. He's basically a child in elfish standards. And it didn't help that he always looked sixteen years old – the age he fell in love with Annabeth.

"Uh, well I'm not sure – "

"Please?" she stared up at him with puppy eyes.

"Lily," he groaned. "There's mermaids and all sorts of monsters out there that can kill you."

"That's cool."

"That is _not_ cool."

Her lips formed an O shape. "Can we go horse riding instead?"

Well, it's better than Giant hunting...although there is a raging storm outside. He shrugged carelessly, who was he to be a spoil sport?

"Alright – just this once. Race you to the stables!"

Lily laughed and raced out of the room and down the wooden staircase. Sebbie grinned and caught up with her easily and helped her onto one of the smaller horses in the stables.

He climbed onto his own horse and together they galloped down the hill with the rain soaking into their clothes and the gale threatening to push them over.

"To the lake!" he yelled behind him, pointing towards the glittering water in the middle of a valley.

In a rush of wind, they charged straight into the icy waters, submerging into the depths. His mer blood inside of him responded eagerly and his trouser burst from the seams as a stunning smooth tail elongated from his hips.

Peering through the sparkling water, he saw Lily's silhouette and swam up to her and took her hand. Together, with the powerful flick of their tails, they cut through the water, swimming alongside the exotic creatures and shoals of fish.


End file.
